Periodical suppokt



W: L. MINICK PERIODICAL SUPPORT Filed Jan. l0, 1951 April 6, 1954 FIG.

INVENToR.

w. L. MINICK FIG. 4

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 6, `1954 UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE PERIODICAL SUPPORT William L. Minick, Waynesboro, Pa. Application January 10, 1951, Serial No. 205,337

(Cl. l5-6l) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to supports and more particularly to a device for supporting periodicals or magazines in open condition and in a position convenient to the reader.

Heretofore numerous devices of this nature have been proposed, but many of these were of relatively flimsy character andwere subject to distortion and breakage which materially reduced their usefulness. Also, many of these prior devices Were relatively expensive to manufacture and, consequently, were not particularly well received by the purchasing public.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a periodical support of relatively simple and inexpensive construction and which serves to support a periodical or magazine in open condition and in a position convenient to the reader.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a periodical support which is adjustable to accommodate periodicals or magazines of widely varying sizes and which may be collapsed or folded to a relatively small size for convenience in carrying or storage.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a periodical support which simulates the silhouette of a doll or other figure wearing a hoop-skirt and in which the configuration of the device performs a definite function in properly supporting a periodical in reading position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a periodical support which will conveniently hold the periodical or magazine in open condig tion and which may be held by the reader when sitting in a chair to prevent engagement of the pages of the magazine with the clothes of the reader when turning the pages or which may be supported on an easel-like frame or may be laid flat on a table while still engaged with the periodical.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a periodical support which may be economically manufactured of plastic, wood, metal or other suitable material, and which may be produced for sale in a highly competitive market,

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent 'from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the periodical support of this invention and showing the supporting arms in extended position in full lines and in folded position in dotted lines;

Fig. 2, a side elevational view of the periodical support shown in Fig. l and with a periodical clamped thereon, shown in phantom;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing the details of one portion of the periodical-engaging means; and

Fig. 4, a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and showing the lower periodicalengaging means.

With continued reference to the drawing there is shown in Fig. 1 a periodical support which simulates the silhouette of a doll or similar iigure and in which the lower portion thereof I0 simulates the hoop-skirt often seen on such iigures. The flared portion I0 meets the body of the gure at the waist I I and extends upwardly to the shoulder portion I2. Arms I3 are pivotally mounted on the body of the gure at the shoulder portion I2 by pivotl pins I4, the shoulder portion I2 being recessed to receive the pivoted end portions of the arms I3, the dividing line between the body portion and the arms I3 being shown by the line I5 in Fig. 2. Arms I3 may be extended, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, or may be folded into a position substantially parallel to the body of the device, as shown in dotted lines. The operation of these arms in performing a periodical supporting function will be later described.

The ared portion III is provided adjacent the bottom thereof with a relatively narrow shelf I6 extending throughout its width, this shelf serving to support the lower edge of a periodical or magazine positioned in the device. Centrally of the shelf I6 is an upstanding pin II which may be of metal or other suitable spring material and serves to engage the periodical or magazine in a manner to be presently described.

The head I8 of the device is mounted on rod I9 by screw threads or other suitable means 20, rod I 9 being received in a bore 2| in the body of the device, there being a compression spring 22 received about the rod I9 within the bore 2I, this spring 22 being retained on the lower end of rod I9 by a collar 23 secured thereto by screw threads 24 or other suitable means. The spring is retained against upward movement in the bore 2| by a washer or suitable disc25 secured to the shoulder portion I2 of the device. It will-thus be seen that by the construction above described the head I8 may be moved upwardly against the action of spring 22 and that upon position.

The head I8. 4as best shown in Fig. 3, is likewise provided with a simulated hook-shaped nose portion 215 which extends from a rod 21 slidably mounted in a bore 23 in head I8, the rod 2I being provided with a finger-engaging knob 29 to facilitate operation thereof in a manner to be presently described. Also received within the bore 28 and around the rod 21 is a compression spring 3B, which normally retains the nose portion 21B in retracted position. Pressure exerted against the finger-engaging knob 29 serves to move the nose portion 26 outwardly for a purpose to be presently described. The front face of the head I8 is provided with a vertically disposed elongated recess 26' which serves to receive the rear portion of the nose 26 when retracted to retain the same in vertical position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

It should be noted from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 that the simulated hair 3| extends over the surface of the head I8 and that the fingerengaging knob 29 blends into this hair and represents the knob very frequently seen on the back of the head of dolls and further the head 3l is dressed to extend downwardly forming a portion 32 which overlaps the rear surface of the body of the device, and, as shown in Fig. 3, serves to retain the head I8 in a forwardly facing position when the head is retracted.

In operation a periodical or magazine M is opened substantially to the midportion thereof and the magazine positioned on the shelf i5 with the upstanding pin II engaging the same at substantially the fold thereof. At the same time the head I8 is pulled upwardly to a point where the nose portion 26 may be extended by pressing the finger-engaging knob 29 against the action of compression spring 2D and allowing the hookshaped nose portion to move downwardly with the head I8 to engage the upper portion of the magazine at the fold thereof and securely clamp the same into position on the device, as shown in phantom in Fig. 2. A reversal of these operational steps easily releases the magazine from the device.

Once the magazine is clamped in position on ,the device the same may be held by the fingers of the reader grasping the gure about the waist I i and may be supported on the knees of the reader when in asitting position. The shelf I9 maintaining the lower edge of the magazine away from the clothes of the reader and preventing tearing of the pages during turning thereof. Likewise, the device may be placed on an easel or may be laid fiat on a' table, in which case the magazine or periodical will remain open in a flat condition. The extended arms I3 serve to support the leaves of the periodical andprevent the same from drooping out of a convenient reading position and upon removal of a magazine from the device the arms I3 may be f`olded,as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, to facilitate transportation orA storage of the device. If desired, a strip of rubber, felt, or other suitable relatively soft material 33 may be provided on the lower edge of the skirt portion I0 in order to prevent marring of furniture or the articles upon which the device may; be placed` 1" v It will be apparent from the construction of the periodical support described above that the same may be conveniently manufactured from plastic, either by stamping or moulding the same, and may likewise be constructed of relatively thin plywood by stamping or cutting the same by means of a band or jigsaw. Likewise the device might be constructed of light-weight metal, such as aluminum or magnesium, and finished by painting or other means to present a highly pleasing appearance and to simulate any desired figure.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited ,by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in theV appended claim.

What is claimed is: 4

A periodical support simulating a doll and having a body with a ared skirt portion and a relatively narrow waist portion extending upwardly to a shoulder portion, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the shoulder portion and movable from a position substantially parallel to the bodyv to a position extending upwardly and outwardly from the body, `a relatively narrow shelf extending from the front surface of said skirt portion and extending substantially across the entire width thereof, an upstanding pin secured to said shelf at substantially the midpoint thereof and in spaced relation to the front surface of said skirt portion, a vertical bore in said body, an elongatedrod slidably received in said bore, a compression spring received in said bore about said rod and biasing said rod inwardly, a head secured to the upper end of said rod, a downwardly extending hook shaped nose portion mounted on a rod slidably received in said head, a compression springt biasing said nose-portion toward the front face of said head and a finger-engaging knob for projecting said nose portion outwardly whereby the lower edge of an open periodical may be disposed on said shelf behind said pin with the upper edge thereof engaged by said nose portion to clamp saidperiodical in position, said extended arms serving to support the open leaves of said periodical and simulated hair on said head extending downwardly at the rear side thereof in engagement with the rear surface of said body to retain said head in a forward facing position when said head is retracted.

References Cited inv the le of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS A2,498,413v Glass Feb.,` 21, ,1950, 

